Exodus 3:14. What does it mean?

[SJ1984]

"I am who I am". Some translations have, "I am what I am". Okay, so what does this mean? Does anyone know?

Updates

+1 y

Some of the responses have been really helpful. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

“The statement carries a sense of necessity, simplicity, and absolute-ness. In using this particular phrasing, God identifies Himself as the self-existent One—the eternal, unique, uncreated God. God just is. He is the ultimate truth, the only necessary being, the beginning and end, the first cause…”

https://www.bibleref.com/Exodus/3/Exodus-3-14.html

Also:
“I AM is the ultimate statement of self-sufficiency, self-existence, and immediate presence. God’s existence is not contingent upon anyone else. His plans are not contingent upon any circumstances. He promises that He will be what He will be; that is, He will be the eternally constant God. He stands, ever-present and unchangeable, completely sufficient in Himself to do what He wills to do and to accomplish what He wills to accomplish.”

https://www.gotquestions.org/I-AM-WHO-I-AM-Exodus-3-14.html

[Opinion Owner]

Thanks for the MHO

[BCRanger10]

It's often understood to mean God referring to Himself as "He who exists", or that He is existence itself.

[jennifer_bloom]

The way I understand it, is God is habitually passive but chooses to take an active tone with human beings because He loves us so much, and we should view Him as the loving Active and not the Avoidant. Just like a child plays video games in front of strangers but abandons them when his grand parents walk into the room, because he loves them more than the video game. He is passive with insects and active with souls.

[annabananna]

Moses was used to many specific Gods and wanted to know what to call the God. Him stated I am who I am was Gods way of saying I am not man made and I am not limited I’m a way these other Gods are. It means he is everything and never changing. Jesus also said I Am. I am not always the best at explaining or my words so hope this makes sense to you.

[nawtee_me]

so if you put it into context you see what it means. To do so you have to read more than just that one verse.

Exodus 3:13 - 15.

13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.[a] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,[b] the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’

“This is my name forever,
the name you shall call me
from generation to generation.

[jshm2]

Basically an old Hebrew expression. There is nothing like God and his rule is absolute.

Hence it's not translated well as Western languages do not have expressions for absolute entities. The word "god" can mean anything worshipped - not necessarily God himself.

Thus the best translation is what you get there. It's basically God telling Moses he is their leader.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

In means God is the great Almighty and there none but Him. He is the Most High and there is no other god or gods.

Deuteronomy32:39
‘Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.

[exitseven]

Let's ask Popeye'

I yam what I yam

[Guy13]

It is YHWH. The great I AM WHO I AM... go tell Israel Moses...

[Guy13]

It is called the Tetragrammaton and it appears thousands of times... like 5000 plus in the Bible. So you have Yahweh as God the Father who is the Covenant keeping God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. It has been established in Genesis that God is transcendent, therefore, In Spirit. Jesus the Christ is the I AM as Jesus claims in John 8:58. SO, the I AM WHO I AM is our Trinitarian God in all His fullness. I can go into the inner working of the Trinity, Himself if you care to get deeper.

[Iron_Man]

And God said unto Moses, aI Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.

[SJ1984]

But what does it mean? The answer given to Moses doesn't make any sense to me.

[Iron_Man]

The Lord talked to Moses and Moses if they ask me who do you say your name he said I am the great I am.. how do you sell got identify himself to Moses those words basically I am the beginning the present and the future the great I am i’m I am Iron Man brother speaking.

[Anonymous]

It means that Popeye is God.

[NamerOfStars]

That God's real name isn't Yahweh, but Popeye.

[enocheli]

before abraham was

I AM